The Clubhouse

The narrow tunnel leading to Griggs' clubhouse was eerily quiet, save for the occasional drip of water echoing from somewhere deep below. Kade's boots crunched against scattered debris as Julia followed close behind, the remaining survivors trailing hesitantly behind them. The oppressive silence made the tunnel feel longer than it was, each step weighted with tension.

When they reached the heavy, reinforced metal door that marked the entrance, Kade slowed. Faint streaks of blood smeared the walls nearby, and a pile of shattered Wretch bodies lay slumped by the door. The stench of charred flesh hit like a wall, forcing Kade to cover his nose. Someone had made a stand here—and won, judging by the barricades of crates, furniture, and twisted metal that lined the entrance.

"Looks like Griggs didn't go down easy," Kade muttered, stepping over a mangled corpse. His sharp gaze swept the scene, noting makeshift weaponry—spiked bats, shattered machetes, and guns with spent magazines—scattered among the fallen.

Julia eyed the carnage, her grip tightening on the metal spike Kade had handed her earlier. "Whoever did this held their ground," she said.

Kade knocked on the reinforced door, his fist thudding against it. "Griggs! It's me!"

The sound of shifting metal on the other side made everyone tense. Moments later, a peephole slid open, and a familiar pair of bloodshot eyes peered out.

"Kade? That you?"

"It's me, Griggs. Open up," Kade replied, his voice steady but carrying a note of urgency.

The door groaned open, revealing Griggs—a stout, grizzled man with a scar running down his cheek. He was armed with a shotgun, its barrel still smoking faintly. Behind him, a mix of people stood—some burly men covered in soot and blood, others trembling civilians clutching crude weapons.

"Well, damn," Griggs said, letting out a raspy laugh. "I thought you were dead. Get in here before something else crawls out of the dark."

Kade ushered the survivors inside, scanning the scene as they entered. The clubhouse was a fortress, its interior revealing the remnants of a once-thriving underground club. Rusted neon signs flickered dimly on the walls, the dance floor now cluttered with overturned tables and barricades. The air reeked of gunpowder, sweat, and desperation.

"I see you've been busy," Kade said, gesturing to the pile of dead Wretches near the door.

Griggs grunted, slinging the shotgun over his shoulder. "Had to be. First wave hit about an hour ago—nasty bastards. We barely managed to hold them off but then they all got drawn away somewhere, I guess that was your lots doing. Lost some good people, but we're still standing. What the hell's going on up there, Kade?"

Kade exhaled, leaning heavily against the wall, his mind racing. For a moment he wondered how much he should tell Griggs, what he had to say might make him sound crazy... but if anyone here would believe him it was Griggs that old coot. Not to mention, he was the last person here he could trust, that he ever had trusted... "It's chaos out there. The world's gone straight to hell." He hesitated for a moment, his voice dropping lower. "I had… a friend with me. Zeke. The Ascendants took him."

Griggs squinted, confusion etched across his face. "Ascendants? And who's this Zeke?"

Kade rubbed the back of his neck, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "Zeke and I—he's someone I used to know, from way back. We grew up together. Went our separate ways years ago, but we crossed paths right before everything went to hell. He's smart, disciplined, probably one of the most capable people I've ever known. And that's why they took him."

Griggs tilted his head. "Took him? What do you mean? And who the hell are these 'Ascendants'?"

"They're not human, that's for sure," Kade said bitterly, the memory of their overwhelming presence making his skin crawl. "They're some kind of… god-like beings. At least, that's what they want us to think. They came out of the rift when the sky shattered and said this was all a test. Humanity's resilience, evolution—some twisted experiment for them to watch unfold."

Griggs frowned deeply, his scarred face hardening. "And they just took your friend?"

"They chose him," Kade muttered, his voice tinged with anger and something rawer—loss. "Said he was the strongest, the one most capable of wielding this Resonance Energy. They called it being a 'Rift Walker.' He didn't have much of a choice. It was like they compelled him to go." He paused, the memory of Zeke vanishing into the rift still fresh in his mind. "And now I'm stuck here."

Griggs folded his arms, his voice sharp. "And this Westler? Where does he fit in?"

Kade hesitated, running a hand through his tangled hair. "He's... complicated. He's a Rift Walker from another world, someone who's been through this before. He saved my ass when I was about to get overwhelmed. Gave me a book, told me how to stay alive—how to use this Resonance Energy. That's more than anyone else has done so far."

"And you trust him?" Griggs pressed, his tone cautious.

Kade exhaled sharply. "I don't know if I trust him, but I believe him. What he said lines up with what I've seen—the monsters, the energy, the chaos. He's out there fighting the Ascendants, so I figure he's not on their side. That's enough for now."

Griggs stared at him for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if trying to read between the lines. Then, with a nod, he gestured toward the book Kade had tucked under his arm. "Let's see what you've got, then. Maybe there's something in there we can use before this place gets hit again."

Griggs rubbed the back of his neck, surveying the group of survivors scattered throughout the main room. His face was lined with exhaustion, but his sharp gaze hadn't lost its edge. The faint hum of a generator powered the dim lights overhead, casting long shadows across the reinforced walls. He let out a breath, then clapped his hands together, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Listen up," he barked, his voice cutting through the low murmurs. "No one's going anywhere until we figure out how to secure this place. I don't care if you think you can fight or run; out there is a death sentence right now. This is as safe as it's gonna get for the moment, so sit tight, keep quiet, and don't do anything stupid."

The room fell silent, and Griggs ran a hand over his face, his expression darkening. His eyes flicked to Kade, then to the growing crowd of people filtering into the space. "We've got limited food, limited water, and a hell of a lot more mouths to feed than we did yesterday. So let's not make this harder than it already is."

He gestured toward a few of the armed men stationed by the reinforced doors. "You lot, stay sharp. Keep those entrances locked down and don't let anyone in unless they've got a damn good reason. If anything comes knocking, I want to know about it before it gets close."

Satisfied for the moment, Griggs motioned for Kade to follow him. "Come on. We've got stuff to talk about."

Kade trailed after him, his boots scuffing against the concrete floor. He knew this place well—he'd been here more times than he could count, back when it served a different purpose. The underground club had always been a front for Griggs' less-than-legal dealings, a place where stolen goods were fenced and shady business thrived under the guise of legitimate entertainment. What most people didn't know was that the club was only a small part of a much larger complex. The main room led into a network of tunnels and storage spaces that connected to what had once been an ambitious development project.

The structure had originally been designed as an underground shopping mall, but the project collapsed before it could be completed. Financial mismanagement and embezzlement had left the developers bankrupt, and the city had sealed off the half-finished site. Years later, Griggs had purchased the property at a fraction of its value, transforming it into his own fortress of operations. Kade had always thought the place was overkill, but now, standing in the relative safety of its reinforced walls, he couldn't help but feel grudging respect for Griggs' paranoia.